Ahmed H. Zewail

Dates

February 26, 1946 – August 2, 2016

Authorized Form of Name

Zewail, Ahmed H.

Additional Forms of Names

Zewail, A. H.

Zewail, Ahmed H., 1946-2016

Zewail, Ahmed Hassan, 1946-2016

Biography

Abstract

Ahmed H. Zewail was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999 "for his studies of the transition states of chemical reactions using femtosecond spectroscopy." Zewail was a major influence in the field of Chemical Physics; he mentored many students at the California Insitute of Technology and was recognized for his contributions by many organizations and institutions around the world.

Important Dates

February 26, 1946Birth, Damanhūr (Egypt).

1967B.Sc degree in Chemistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria (Egypt).

1969M.Sc degree in Chemistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria (Egypt).

1974Ph.D in Chemical Physics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Pa.).

1974 – 1976Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley (Calif.).

1976Assistant Professor of Chemical Physics; Associate Professor (1978); Professor (1982); Linus Pauling Professor of Chemical Physics (1990-1997); Director, Center for Physical Biology (1995), and Linus Pauling Professor of Chemistry (1997), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (Calif.).

1982Fellow, American Physical Society.

1983Awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Senior Scientist Award.

1985Awarded the Buck-Whitney Medal, American Chemical Society.

1989Awarded the Harrison Howe Award, American Chemical Society.

1989Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1989Member, Third World Academy of Sciences.

1993Awarded the Wolf Prize in Chemistry.

1993Awarded the Earle K. Plyler Prize, American Physical Society.

1993Awarded the Medal of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

1993Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

1995Awarded the Herbert P. Broida Prize, American Physical Society.

1996Awarded the Peter Debye Award, American Chemical Society.

1996Awarded the J. G Kirkwood Medal, Yale University.

1996Awarded the National Academy of Sciences Award of Chemical Sciences.

1996 – 2007Director, National Science Foundation's Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (LMS), Pasadena (Calif.).

1997Awarded the Robert. A Welch Award in Chemistry, Welch Foundation.

1997Awarded the Linus Pauling Medal, American Chemical Society.

1998Member, American Philosophical Society.

1998Awarded the Franklin Medal, Franklin Institute.

1999Awarded Honorary Doctorate of Science degree, Alexandria University, Egypt.

1999Awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his studies of the transition states of chemical reactions using femtosecond spectroscopy".

1999Member, American Academy of Achievement.

1999Awarded the Grand Collar of the Nile, Highest State Honor, conferred by President Mubarak.

1999Awarded Honorary Doctorate of Science degree, Arab Academy for Science & Technology, Egypt.

2000Awarded the Médaille de l’Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris.

2000Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

2000Awarded the Faye Robiner Award, Ross University School of Medicine, New York.

2001Foreign Member, Royal Society.

2002Honorary Fellow, African Academy of Sciences.

2004Zewail Foundation for Knowledge and Development founded in his honor, American University in Cairo, Cairo (Egypt).

2005Awarded the Ahmed Zewail Award for Ultrafast Science and Technology, American Chemical Society.

2009Member, U.S. Council of Advisor on Science and Technology.

2011Awarded the Priestley Medal, American Chemical Society.

August 2, 2016Death, Pasadena (Calif.).

Occupation

Chemical physcist.

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Subjects

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